My first hint that London Fashion Week was just a few hundred metres away as I left Charing Cross station was spotting a pretty girl with an even prettier (and NEW collection) Fred Butler kaleidoscopic head piece complete with a shiny present bow.
Our paths separated at Waterloo Bridge, as I crossed over the river to Blow Presents… at Royal Festival Hall, but I was excied to know that there was more Fred Butler goodness to be found at the exhibition.
Fred has single handedly revived the stale old craft of origami and fabric yoyos and each season creates vibrant, avant-garde and sculptural accessories that are surprisingly wearable. The origami hat and cape in irridescent white remind me of a kind of East End snow queen and the colour-bursting kaleidoscopic neck ruff is so spectacular, it feels like something out of a dream.
The bright origami ‘scarf’ (for want of a better word) snakes itself around the body and also incorporates the snow queen material. It makes me think of my crazy patchwork quilt by designer Kaffe Fassett (who Fred will undoubted know), handmade by my very talented mum. I’ll post a pic soon, so you can see how important the craft element is in Fred’s work.
Featured here are the larger collection leaders, but there are also a range of exquisite head pieces and no doubt some necklaces for you to add on your Christmas list – I know I will be!
Fred Butler accessories are stocked at Kabiri and the Autumn/Winter 09 collection can be viewed on her website.
Kabiri – 37 Marylebone High St / 18 The Market, The Piazza, Covent Garden / Selfridges concession store